I am using a piece of software called nvda. Look at www.nvda-project.org
You can try it syourself. I got fed up with huge costs for commercial
readers.
As for smilies etc, well, I could define the sequences in the dictionary
if there were standards, but it seems there are not. It would speak a series
of punctuation and other chracters as the desired phrase.. as I say, not
bothered and as I tend to use a minimal verbosity where only the effect of
punctuation is heard not the character itself it might need further work..
grin.
Brian

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From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"David Spain" wrote in message
...
On 2/20/2013 4:57 AM, Brian Gaff wrote:
http://wiki.nasa.gov/cm/blog/Watch%2...308690869.html
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I would post my radar question there but it seems blind people are not
allowed to do so as there is a verification image on the response page.

Brian
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active

So your question was How does the ISS program detect and avoid
collision with larger chunks of space debris such as the Chelyabinsk
meteor?

As an aside: I assume from your posting that you are blind. If so may I
ask how your are reading these postings? Are you using a Braille touch
interface or text-to-voice? If the latter, does it translate things like
smileys?

I now realize I might need to change the way I use smileys to denote
sarcastic or humorous commentary...

Dave